


Meeting The Family

by QueenOfRohirrim



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Jaskier handles it all like a champ, M/M, Protective Papa Vesemir, Suspicious Lambert, Sweet Eskel, Wolf Pack, embarrassed Geralt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:55:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24477556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfRohirrim/pseuds/QueenOfRohirrim
Summary: Geralt brings Jaskier home to Kaer Morhen for the first time.
Relationships: Eskel & Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Lambert, Eskel/Lambert (The Witcher), Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Vesemir, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion & Vesemir
Comments: 12
Kudos: 569





	Meeting The Family

Vesemir had been quite surprised by Geralt’s bard, even more so than he’d expected to be.

The moment his son had arrived home for the winter, the high spirited human close at his heels, the elder witcher could sense right away Geralt’s pride. A thin layer of his usual timid demeanor tried to mask this but Vesemir knew his pups better than anyone else. Geralt was more than pleased to finally be presenting his mate, and that alone had Vesemir leaning towards liking the bard straight away.

“You’ve brought your guest along, I see.” The alpha wolf hummed, arms crossed over his chest, as he stood above the pair on the front steps to his keep, looking Jaskier up and down with a careful eye. He might have wanted to befriend the lad immediately but that simply could not be. This was Geralt. His boy. The most shy and secretive of all of his sons. He couldn’t allow Jaskier his full support until he was certain that Geralt’s heart faced no danger from the bard.

“Hmm.” Geralt was going to attempt an explanation for why it was important for Jaskier to be here at Kaer Morhen now, but before he could do that, his bard swung himself down from Roach, climbed right up the broken, stone steps, and offered a hand to Vesemir in greeting, bowing respectfully as he did so.

“Master of Kaer Morhen, it is the greatest honor to be here in your presence.” He spoke without hesitation or fear of any sort. “Julian Alfred Pankratz, at your service! Though, you may call me Jaskier.”

Vesemir’s eyes widened and he glanced to Geralt, who stood nervously with his horse, clutching her reigns tightly in one hand and just waiting for any sign of approval.

Vesemir allowed it to him, looking back to the human before him and reaching to clasp his eagerly offered hand. “Jaskier the Bard?” He hummed. “You’ve certainly made a better name for my boys, haven’t you, lad? I suppose I should thank you for that.”

When the excitable human lifted his head, his eyes were sparkling with wonder, still no sign of any fear within him or about. “Oh, there’s really no need for that, your lordship, truly!” He assured the old wolf, who chuckled at the title he’d been given. “Anything I can do to help...”

“There’s supplies over there in that wagon.” Vesemir stopped him before he could finish his declaration. “Needs unloading into the pantries. Geralt can show you where they are. There won’t be any use for dead weight here, lad. You’ll be earning your keep.”

Geralt was tensing again, but this was necessary. Vesemir needed the bard to prove his worth, his endurance, his willingness to stay regardless of any obstacle.

Again, Jaskier surprised him. 

“Oh, of course!” He agreed, nodding and closing his second hand around Vesemir’s gently. “Have no fear. I have no intention of throwing all of the work to you wolves. As I was saying before, anything I can do to help, just speak the words and it’ll be done.”

“Good to know.” Vesemir nodded, pulling his hand away and passing the bard by to get to his son. “Welcome home, pup.” He smiled warmly at Geralt, pulling him into a tight hug. 

“Hmm.” Geralt grunted. “Been a long season.”

“I’m sure.” Vesemir chuckled warmly, clapping him on the pack. “You can tell me more about it later. Get your mare into the stables then show your bard where we store the food. I want those wagons unloaded by dinner time.”

“Hmm.”

...

Vesemir continued to put Jaskier through various trials of his own making for the first few days the bard spent at Kaer Morhen.

Stocking and organizing the pantries was a start, then there was working alongside Geralt and himself to patch a few breaks in the outer walls. Then came the chopping and gathering of firewood, stocking every used bedchamber in the keep with it and being sure to keep the ever burning fires in the common areas stoked. 

Geralt was busied with tasks of his own, unable to assist Jaskier, and that’s how Vesemir wanted it. 

He pressed the bard harder and harder, having him muck the stables and tend the livestock, milking goats and picking horse shoes at the break of dawn and then tending the plants in the greenhouse straight after breakfast.

Scrubbing the floors in the dining hall and kitchens was a task the pups hated more than most, but Jaskier seemed perfectly content to aid in that endeavor as well.

Vesemir was pleased. Not once had the bard complained at the tasks he was given, and everything was always finished to surpass even the old Witcher’s own typically high standards.

Finally, after a week of running Geralt’s mate through these terrible tests of perseverance, Vesemir came to the conclusion that Jaskier seemed to be willing to do anything needed to prove himself a worthy suitor.

“Sit down, lad.” He beckoned to the bard as he’d been passing through the common room in the main hall, his sleeves covered in black soot and grease from the cleaning of every oven in the kitchens. “We need to have a little chat, you and I.”

Jaskier was quick to oblige as always, putting off his next chore to hear whatever Vesemir had to say.

“Here, have a drink.” The old wolf smiled kindly, filling up a generous glass of brandy and passing it over to the bard who sat before him.

“Oh, now this is an unexpected treat.” Jaskier brightened up at the offer, accepting the cup without a second thought. “To your continued health and prosperity, sir.” He nodded to Vesemir, who agreed with a short hum.

“And to yours.” He muttered, sipping from his own glass. “I owe you an explanation, lad, but not an apology. I hope you understand that.”

Jaskier nodded, wincing a bit at the burn of the alcohol. “Mmhm.” He swallowed, setting his glass aside on a nearby inn table. “You’re the father of a very reserved and easily broken son. I’d be quite worried for Geralt if you hadn’t put me through such toil in the beginning.”

Vesemir smiled at the bard. “You’re a clever man, Jaskier.” He observed. “And an honest one, I feel, when it comes to my boy.”

“I love him.” The bard swore to the old wolf. “With everything that I am and have, I truly do.”

“Good.” Vesemir nodded. “I believe you, and I’m glad for Geralt that he managed to find you.”

The endless chores stopped after that, and Vesemir dropped the ruthless, tyrannical mask he’d been wearing.

Jaskier was welcomed by the alpha wolf, and even befriended. Now came the issue of Geralt’s brothers.

...

The two remaining wolves arrived together, and the first night they spent back within their den, Geralt was careful to keep Jaskier far out of reach.

This was done at Vesemir’s request, as he’d noted that Lambert was coming down from a heated spell, most likely induced by the troublesome climb up the Witcher’s Trail, and needed awhile longer to cool off before Jaskier was introduced.

Eskel was efficient as always in quelling his mate’s unfortunate mood, and by morning, Lambert seemed to be in much better spirits.

Jaskier, of course, wasted no time in making himself known to both witchers at breakfast, and the lack of fear that Vesemir had come to know as normal had the two a bit lost, and Lambert again on edge.

“It’s such a pleasure to meet you both!” The bard declared loudly, and with the enthusiasm of a griffin gliding above a field of defenseless pigs. 

Geralt had tried to grab him back and ease into the introduction, but Jaskier had simply brushed him aside. “My name is Jaskier. Geralt’s told me all about the two of you, of course. I feel as if we’ve already known each other for years! Eskel, is it? And That would make you Lambert.”

Eskel was smiling and greeted his brother’s bard with a firm handshake and then a crushing hug. “Welcome to the pack!” He’d declared with a hearty laugh. “We’ve heard quite a bit about you too, bard. Half of the words Geralt actually lets slip have something to do with his little lark.”

The white wolf blushed but there was no denial given to counter Eskel’s words.

“Oh, my darling, you’ve been whispering about me to your brothers?” Jaskier teased his witcher playfully, reaching for Geralt’s hand and ultimately attaching himself to a thickly muscled arm. 

Vesemir watched his pups carefully, his eyes returning to Lambert every few seconds as he went about serving up breakfast for them all. His youngest son had remained silent so far, regarding the bard with the same distasteful gaze as he would a poisonous serpent or a particularly strategic succubus. 

That was fine. He just needed time to work out the fact that Jaskier wasn’t a threat. 

“Oh, my dear, you don’t look well.” The bard suddenly stepped a bit too close to a dangerous boundary. “What’s the trouble? I hope those awful hooligans we came across in Kaedwin didn’t give you any problems on the way in.”

Vesemir stood close as Lambert raised his eyes to meet Jaskier’s. “Why are you here, bard?” The young wolf snarled.

“Lambert.” Vesemir warned his pup. “Jaskier’s our guest.”

“Geralt’s guest.” Lambert growled. “What’s a human doing with you anyway, snowbird?” He glared across the table at his older brother, who had grown equally tense in defense of his mate. “Or is he even human at all? Seems a little odd doesn’t it? A pretty thing like him cozying up to a big scary witcher? Come on. Must be something you want, bard. What is it?”

“Hey, that’s enough.” Eskel tried to settle his snarling mate, placing a gentle hand at the back of Lambert’s neck. 

“No no no, it’s a fair enough question.” Jaskier surprised them once again by remaining completely calm and collected. “My deepest apologies if I’ve made you feel at all uncomfortable, Lambert. I don’t mean to encroach on your space, but Geralt felt that it was time for me to meet the family and I agreed.”

“Jaskier...” Geralt attempted to interrupt, wanting to explain things to his brother himself.

“Hush, darling.” The bard stopped him. “Lambert and I are having a conversation now. I promise I’ll give you my full attention after...Now, my dashing dark wolf, I do understand your suspicions but I must insist that I am not, nor have I ever been, a monster. As for my affections for your brother, I’ve had the pleasure of traveling with him for nearly two decades, and I do hope to spend the rest of my days doing exactly the same. I’m willing to wager that you know a thing or two about love...”

He gestured to Eskel, and Lambert blushed.

“That is all that I seek from Geralt and I wish for us all to be the best of friends for his sake.” Jaskier finished, placing an adoring peck against his Witcher’s cheek. “He does love his family. You’re all he ever seems to want to talk about around the fire at night.”

Lambert hummed roughly, looking at Geralt and then back at Jaskier. “Fine.” He muttered. “We’ll just see about all that, won’t we?”

“You will.” Vesemir promised his pup. He had every confidence that Jaskier would convince Lambert of his intentions, just as he’d done before with him.


End file.
